Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

पितृदेवमनुष्येभ्यो दत्त्वाश्नात्यमृतं गृही । अदत्त्वान्नं च यो भुंक्ते केवलं स्वोदरंभरिः

Transliteration

pitṛdevamanuṣyebhyo dattvāśnātyamṛtaṃ gṛhī | adattvānnaṃ ca yo bhuṃkte kevalaṃ svodaraṃbhariḥ

Translation

居士先施与祖先、诸天与人众，然后所食如同甘露（amṛta）。若不先施而自食者，不过是唯求饱腹之人。

Word by Word

• पितृ-देव-मनुष्येभ्यः: to the ancestors, gods, and humans
• पितृ-देव-मनुष्येभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (to/from ancestors, gods, and humans)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Sambandha (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वक्रिया

• अश्नाति: eats
• अश्नाति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अमृतम्: nectar; (figuratively) merit/immortality
• अमृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गृही: householder
• गृही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अदत्त्वा: without giving
• अदत्त्वा: Sambandha (Prior action - negated)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दा (धातु) → अदत्त्वा (नञ् + क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (negative gerund), अव्यय

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction), अव्यय

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भुङ्क्ते: eats/enjoys
• भुङ्क्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• केवलम्: only
• केवलम्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषणस्य अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbial use)

• स्व-उदरंभरिः: one who fills only his own belly (selfish eater)
• स्व-उदरंभरिः: Pradhana (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + उदरंभरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे (one who fills his own belly)

Speaker

Deductive (sectional narration; likely Sūta speaking in a dharma-teaching passage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder offers portions to a small fire/altar, pours water for ancestors, and serves a guest; then he eats calmly, depicted as receiving ‘amṛta’ (a subtle luminous aura over the food). In contrast, a secondary vignette shows a greedy eater alone, shadowed.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Food becomes sanctified by sharing; eating after offering is dharmic, while eating without giving is selfishness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse teaches universal household ethics.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer portions to pitṛs, devas, and humans (including guests/beggars) before taking one’s own meal.